MISTAKE MADE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 132, 1 December 1938, Page 9

MISTAKE MADE

FRANCO'S ADMISSION

REPLY TO BRITISH DEMAND

(British Official Wireless.)

(Received December 1, 12.15 p.m.)

RUGBY, November 30,

An' answer in the House of Commons to a question on wheat ships seized by General Franco gave rise to a demand for discussion on the adjournment of the House, but the motion was ruled out of order by the Speaker.

Asked what reply had been received by the British Consul at Palma and the British agent at Burgos to the request for the release of ships, Mr. Chamberlain said that the Foreign Secretary hoped shortly to receive reports. Mr. Chamberlain denied that there had been any delay in demanding the release, and mentioned that certain other foreign ships with British cargoes had been held by the Spanish nationalists and that representations had been made.

In , a discussion on the Speaker's ruling against the adjournment motion, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. C. R. Attlee, complained of Government dilatoriness in conducting matters of this nature and asked for some assurance that more was going to be done on this occasion.

Mr. Chamberlain was able to intervene in the discussion to announce that a report had just been received from Pslma that though the ships had not yet been released a mistake was admitted and acknowledged.